Combination lamp and display device



Dec. '27, 1938; v R. W SIMPSON 9 COMB'INATION LAMP AND DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Jan. l8, 19s? INVENT'OR Rah r2 M Simpson Patented Dec. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a combination lamp and display device in which the article to be displayed is contained within an inverted glass bowl, completely filled with water or other liquid that is retained therein, whether by atmospheric pressure or otherwise; the bowl and the article on display are illuminated by means of an electric light bulb placed above the glass bowl and used with a lamp-shade which preferably transmits a portion of the light and also reflects a portion downwardly into the bowl and the article displayed therewithin.

My present invention is particularly useful in illuminating and displaying natural flowers, and for this purpose I prefer to use an arrangement such as that described in my United States Letters Patent No. 2,046,854, issued July 7, 1936 (reissued March 9, 1937, as Reissue Letters Patent No. 20,289). fective display of natural flowers may be obtained by proper illumination of such flowers when contained and exhibited in the device of my above mentioned patent. My present invention is directed to the construction of suitable combination means for displaying and illuminating either natural flowers or such other article as may be desired. I have also found that a lamp such as that hereinafter described provides a desirable type of illumination and that, in fact, more of the light from the source is difiused throughout a room than is the case with the usual type of table lamp.

Various features and advantages of my invention will appear hereinafter.

In the drawing:-

Figure l is a side elevation showing my present invention, certain parts thereof being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a detail plan view of a portion of th supporting base member and the attached means for afiixing and supporting the lamp-carrying strip; and

Fig. 3 is a detail elevational View of the same.

The drawing annexed hereto shows the preferred form of my invention, and I will now describe that form. In the drawing the numeral I designates a container preferably of transparent material such as glass. The container is closed tothe atmosphere with the exception of an opening Z'at the bottom thereof, where it is provided with a depending flange 3 in the form of an outwardly flared neck. The open end of the container is closed by a readily removable cupshaped member 4, preferably of soft elastic rub- P her, which retains the water or other liquid with- I have found that a particularly efin the container. Within the opening of the bowl and also inside of the cup-shaped closure member, a substantially circular metal disc 5 is provided. This disc carries flower-stem engaging clips 6.

In arranging the flowers or other articles for display, they are first inserted so as to be held by the clips 6 in the desired arrangement. The bowl I is then inverted (with the closure member 4 and disc 5 removed) so that the opening is uppermost. The bowl is then filled with water or other transparent liquid and the disc 5, carrying the articles to be displayed, is placed over the opening in the bowl so that the articles are immersed in the liquid within the bowl. The cup shaped member 4 is thereafter stretched over the flared neck of the bowl to close the latter and retain the liquid therein. The bowl, filled with the liquid and containing the articles to be exhibited, and sealed with the member 4, is thereupon inverted and placed within the hollowedout portion 1 of the supporting base member 8. When this has been done, the arrangement of my above mentioned Patent No. 2,046,854 is attained.

In my present invention, the supporting base member 8 is provided on one side with a metal plate 9, aflixed thereto by screws ID or in other convenient manner. The central portion of the plate 9 is offset, as at II, from the base member to provide a socket or slot I2. The illuminating portion of my present invention (comprising the electric lamp bulb and lampshade) is carried by a narrow strip I3, preferably of comparatively rigid metal. The lower end of this strip is bent to provide an upright, flat portion adapted to slide into'the slot or socket 12; the bend M in the strip, adjacent the upright section, determines the depth to which the strip is seated within the socket. After the lower portion of the strip has been placed within the socket the screw i5 is turned down until the lower portion of the strip is firmly clamped between the offset portion l l of the plate 9 and the adjacent portion of the base member 8.

From the socket, the strip I3 extends upwardly adjacent the exterior surface of the bowl I, as indicated in Fig. 1, and extends over the top of the bowl and partially beyond the vertical axis thereof. Aflixed to the top of the strip i3 is a usual form of electric lamp socket is. The upper portion of the strip 13 also carries a lampshade bracket l'l. In use, of course, a lamp bulb (not shown) is screwed into the socket l6 and a lamp-shade l8preferably of light-colored parchment-is carried by the bracket IT. The lamp cord l9 passes through the strip l3 at 20, adjacent the top center of the bowl I, and is held close to the'inside of the strip I3 by spring clips 2! and 22, or otherwise, and finally passes through an aperture 23 in the strip [3, whence it extends to the desired line-current outlet. 7

As it is desirable that the top part of the strip l3 should, in use, be as close to the top of the bowl I as is convenient, and since it may be desirable, from time to time, to change the'article being exhibited within the bowl, or to change the liquid therein, it is necessary so'to construct the lamp that the bowl may be easily removed. In my present arrangement, this is accomplished in part by providing means for removing the strip i3, together with lamp bulb and lamp-shade, from the base member 8 without disturbing the bowl. In designing the form of the strip l3, it is preferable that it have substantially the same contour as the adjacent portion ofthe exterior of the bowl and that the strip be made to assume a position as close to the bowl as possible. The configuration of the bottom of the strip l3, particularly in the neighborhood of the bend M must, however, be such that the strip may easily be removed from the socket 12 even with the bowl in place. This is facilitated by making the socket l2 wider than the thickness of the bottom, vertical portion of the strip i3.

It will be understood that a number of variations may be made in the form of various elements of my combined lamp and display device; without mentioning all of such variations, the shape of the bowl or container I may be varied, the means for closing the bottom of the container to retain the liquid therein may assume a number of difierent forms, the manner of mounting the lamp-carrying strip on the base member may be varied, etc. It will also be understood that the particular form of socket for carrying the electric lamp bulb and supplying current thereto, the form of lamp-shade bracket, the nature of the light-source, and the form, design, or material of the lamp-shade itself may be varied without departingfrom my invention, I therefore desire to secure protection for all such modifications or variations of'my present invention as may come within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

In a lamp providing general illumination and simultaneously illuminating an article on display, a base member constituting a common support for the article and the illuminating means, a depression in the base member, a transparent container which surrounds the article and the lower end of which normally rests in said depression, the said container having an unbroken surface exterior to said depression, a transparent medium within the container of higher'refractive index than that of air, a narrow strip detachably connected to said base member, extending from the base adjacent one side of the container, and following the external contour thereof, said strip terminating adjacent the top of the container, said strip being detachable without removing the container from the base member, an electric light bulb downwardly into said con 

